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This document outlines the fundamentals of anthropological data collection methods, emphasizing the importance of systematic approaches such as behavioral observation, participant observation, and interviews. It introduces core concepts related to data matrices, arrays, vectors, and indices, essential for quantitative comparisons and aggregations of responses. The guiding metaphor of data as multidimensional spaces facilitates clarity on variables and cases, while structured elicitation techniques like similarity judgments provide insights into cognitive processes within cultural contexts.
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Cultural Research Západočeská Univerzita (ZČU) James Boster
Sources of Anthropological Data Západočeská Univerzita (ZČU) James Boster
Systematic Data Collection Západočeská Univerzita (ZČU) James Boster
Goal • Data for the quantitative comparison & aggregation of individual responses. • Information to build a data matrix.
Basic Concepts and Definitions Západočeská Univerzita (ZČU) James Boster
Guiding Metaphor • Data sets are spaces with a Cartesian coordinate system. • Variables are the space’s dimensions. • Cases are points in the space or the endpoints of vectors from the origin. • Data place all points on all dimensions.
Array • An ordered arrangement of data elements. • a vector is a one-dimensional array • a matrix is a two-dimensional array
Vector • A magnitude and a direction in multidimensional space. • A one-dimensional array.
Matrix • A set of vectors which define a multidimensional space. • A two-dimensional array with more than one row and column.
Matrix • columns = dimensions = variables • rows = vectors = points = cases
Indices/Subscripts • Numbers which specify the row and column of a cell in a matrix.
Conventions • Matrices have m rows and n columns. • The variable i indexes the rows, and the variable j indexes the columns. • If the matrix is stored in M, each cell is indexed as M[i,j]; with row subscript first and column subscript second.
Conventions • Matrices are typically accessed the way we read a page in a book. • first, left to right across each line. • next, top to bottom down the page.
Types of Matrices • Square vs. rectangular • equal or unequal number of rows and columns. • Symmetrical vs. asymmetrical • either equal or unequal to its transpose. • Similarity vs. distance • high values are either close or far.
Structured elicitation • Similarity judgment • Freelists • Identification • Frame substitution tasks • Ranking and rating
Domains • Facial expression of emotion • Color classification • Acts of destruction • Emotionally evocative situations • Locomotion
Why elicit similarity judgments? • The judgment of similarity and difference is a fundamental cognitive process that other cognitive acts of cultural interest depend on: • same/different judgments • categorization and classification • propositional knowledge • decision making • theory (or cultural model) construction
Why elicit similarity judgments? • Can give quick overview of a domain • A’ara personality descriptors (White) • as map
Why elicit similarity judgments? • Can give quick overview of a domain • A’ara personality descriptors (White) • as map • as cluster diagram
Why elicit similarity judgments? • Can give quick overview of a domain • A’ara personality descriptors (White) • as map • as cluster diagram • students' gender role terms (Holland and Skinner) • males
Why elicit similarity judgments? • Can give quick overview of a domain • A’ara personality descriptors (White) • as map • as cluster diagram • students' gender role terms (Holland and Skinner) • male map • female map
Why elicit similarity judgments? • Can reveal differences between groups • Atlantic fish (Boster & Johnson) • novice student map
Why elicit similarity judgments? • Can reveal differences between groups • Atlantic fish (Boster & Johnson) • novice student map • expert recreational fisherman map
Why elicit similarity judgments? • Can reveal similarities between groups • personality descriptors • A’ara • Oriya • US.
